The timing of the interval between contractions during pregnancy labor has been used in the past in order to allow and expectant mother to determine when to call a doctor or go to a hospital. Such timing has been used by doctors and nurses in determining the proximity of birth. Thus, data on the time sequence of contractions--their duration and the interval between the successive start of each contraction--is an aid to the medical staff in determining the progress of labor and is a clue to when the expectant mother should go to the doctor's office for an examination or to the hospital for delivery. The measured durations and intervals aid in accurate determination of the apparent progress of labor. Additional clues--not used herein--to the medical staff on the progress of labor are the intensity of the contraction and the dilation of the cervix. In preparation for pregnancy labor, rehearsal techniques have been used (such as the Lamaze method) by expectant mothers and their coaches (typically the expectant fathers) in which a sequence of breathing exercises, message maneuvers, etc. of predetermined durations are performed in order to simulate the procedures for prepared childbirth. It is also known that the occurence of movements by the fetus indicates the health and state of development of the fetus.
A method for keeping track of labor contractions used in the past involved observing an ordinary wristwatch or stopwatch and manually writing down (as on pencil and paper) the times when contractions occurred. Often a coach would assist the expectant mother by observing the timepiece and writing down the times, since the expectant mother may be experiencing pain, loss of sleep, or may otherwise be incapable of making reliable measurements. However, the measuring ability of a coach who is fatigued or has lost sleep (which is often the case) may also be unreliable. This prior method has disadvantages in that manual subtraction computations are required (if an ordinary wristwatch is used) and the writing down of times requires light to see by (a disadvantage in the dark of night). Another inconvenience with this prior method is that a pencil, paper, and timepiece must be available at all times in order to measure and record the occurence of contractions.
A number of modern methods have been developed to assist expectant parents in preparing for childbirth. Such techniques as the Lamaze method may help provide for a more natural, painless childbirth. The natural childbirth methods may include rehearsal sessions in which the expectant mother (who is not then presently experiencing contractions) and a coach may go through a practice simulation of one or more of the phases of labor and the appropriate procedures. Such a rehearsal simulation proceeds in the classroom under the instruction of a training leader who announces, for a phase of labor, (at times chosen by the leader) the timing of labor contractions and describes the appropriate procedures so that the expectant mother and her coach may react and perform the procedures described. In order for the simulation to be realistic, it is preferable that the timing of the simulation should closely mimic the natural biological timing of labor. However, the timing of the simulation should not be so regular so as to allow the expectant mother or her coach to consciously or unconsciously anticipate the occurence of simulated contractions. The duration of the labor contractions and the time period between labor contractions are indicators of the progress of labor and as a predictor of when birth may be expected. Timing may be used in such methods to determine whether the expectant mother is experiencing the early, middle, or late phases of pregnancy. The phase of pregnancy, as determined by contraction timing, is used to guide the expectant mother so that preferred procedures (such as breath control exercises by the expectant mother, or specialized massages by a coach) may be performed at times appropriate to each phase of the pregnancy. After the birth has occurred, it may be important for the mother to regulate the duration of breastfeeding in accordance with instructions which may be given by a doctor to protect the health of the child and/or the mother. For example, it is desirable to prevent tissue irritation of the mother's breasts by limiting the feeding time, whil maintaining sufficient nutrition for the child.